A comparative pharmacopeial analysis of three brands of vitamin c tablets available in uganda pharmacies using bp 2009
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Date
2016-12
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Kampala International University.school of health science
Abstract
Background: There has been a lot of report on fake drugs worldwide and Vitamin C is no exception. Aim: This study was aimed at investigating whether the selected brands of vitamin C meet their label specifications as well as the BP 2009. Materials and Methods: Three brands of Vitamin C were randomly selected in Pharmacies of Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality, Bushenyi. A total of 20 tablets of each brand were chosen and used for this study. Mechanical evaluation on weights, disintegration, friability, hardness were conducted. Quantitative tests on dissolution and ascorbic acid assays as well as qualitative tests on thin layer chromatography and limit test were done using international protocols. Information was recorded in duplicates and analysis conducted using MS Excel :2007 Version and significance was measured at 95%. Results and Discussion: Vitamin C tablets used in this study showed weight variations. Because various brands are produced by different companies which use different excipients. Variations in the weights have to be optimized to improve on tablet strength and integrity and the percentage variation was less than ± 5% deviation as recommended by API and BP. Evaluation of the disintegration time showed that Brand B had the longest disintegration time and this affects drug bio-availability. Tablet dissolution was fastest in Brand C and Brand B had the greatest level of ascorbic acid which was well over the recommended 95% mark. The principal spot in the TLC obtained with the standard solution is similar in position, shape, and color intensity with that in the chromatogram obtained with the solutions for all the brands. No precipitation in all brands was detected against oxalic acid which is a common impurity of ascorbic acid. Conclusion and Recommendations: Vitamin C tablets on the Ugandan market exhibited varying phannaceutical properties thus raising major concerns for drug regulation to limit substandard drugs getting into the country.
Description
A research report submitted to the School of Pharmacy in partial fulfillment of the requirement for an a ward of Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree of Kampala International University- Western Campus
Keywords
vitamin c tablets, pharmacopeial, Uganda, pharmacies